Media Culture, and Society free essay sample

John R. Cain Rick Herder Media Culture Society 6 April 2009 Research Assignment #3 Topic: Is advertising ethical? Pro: Citation: Reast, Jon, Dayananda Palihawadana, and Haseeb Shabbir. â€Å"The Ethical Aspects of Direct to Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs in the United Kingdom: Physician versus Consumer Views. Journal of Advertising Research 48. 3 (Sep. 2008): 450-464. Abstract: This article reports the findings of two surveys examining U. K. physician and consumer attitudes to the introduction of direct to consumer advertising (DTCA), and its likely impact, if implemented, in the strategically important U.K. prescription drug market. The findings, in general, suggest that neither physicians nor consumers are positively disposed to the advertising of prescriptions drugs, although significant differences in attitudes toward such policies emerged between the two groups based upon ethics and approval levels, ethics-related impacts, and the impact of unbranded disease aware ness campaigns. The findings for consumers and physicians do not at present support the extension of DTCA in the United Kingdom, but are supportive of a continuation of unbranded disease awareness campaigns. We will write a custom essay sample on Media Culture, and Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Guidance for practitioners within the established U. S. DTCA marketplace is also provided. Summation: There is no doubt that the purpose of advertising is to sell a product, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is unethical. In the realm of pharmaceutical advertising, drug manufactures not only promote their particular drugs, they also give valuable disease information that their product is supposed to treat or cure. These manufactures are not promoting a lifestyle to sell their product like other forms of advertisement but rather to prevent suffering and increase disease awareness. Critical Response: After reading this article I recalled those Valtrex ads that are used to prevent the spread of genital herpes. The Valtrex ad does not promote getting genital herpes in order for you to use their product, but rather more information concerning genital herpes itself. The company encourages safe sex practice to prevent getting the disease, but if you have herpes, it reminds you that there is help for you. Con: Citation: Hust, Stacey J. T. â€Å"Alcohol advertising and youth: themes, appeals and future directions.   International Journal of Advertising 25 (2006): 545-47. Abstract: This article discusses how alcohol ads are problematic for youth viewers. The difficulty is that many younger people cannot differentiate between the advertisement and reality. The real-life consequences and the advertising fantasy world are indistinguishable to youthful individuals. Analyses of such ads find that they include portrayals of risky activities with positive reinforcement of alcohol consumption. The author suggests that there be more research into the themes and appeals used in alcohol ads. Summation: The author concludes that alcohol advertisers are specifically targeting the youth. The author further concludes that the themes and appeals in alcohol advertising are very similar to the themes and appeals of milk and soda pop adds. The author contents that what appeals to a 13 year old would not appeal to a 24 year old, but yet there are great similarities in advertising of milk and soda pop with that of alcohol. Critical Response: The legal age to consume alcohol in the United States is twenty-one, but yet alcohol advertising is targeting people under the legal age. They are specifically using techniques to draw and lure kids to drink alcohol like they would do with soda pop. If this isn’t something that is unethical in advertising then I don’t know what is. Pro: Citation: Teinowitz, Ira. â€Å"Philip Morris USA slams ‘Truth’ ads from foundation. † Advertising Age 71. 7 (14 Feb. 2000): 3-71. Abstract: This article discusses issues about the funding efforts of Philip Morris USA toward the American Legacy Foundations anti-smoking advertising campaign and Web site programs as of February 2000. Philip Morriss comments were the first from the tobacco industry since the foundation launched its advertisements. The foundation is spending $300 million a year on the anti-smoking effort, with $185 million allocated to advertising and public relations activities. Funding is calculated based on market share, making Philip Morris the largest contributor to the long-term effort. The company stated that the foundations Web site appears to conflict with requirements contained in the tobacco industrys agreement with state attorneys general to fund the foundation. The agreement stipulates that the foundation cannot vilify the industry. Summation: Philip Morris USA is the largest tobacco corporation in the world, but yet they are spending over $300 million per year to stop smoking. It has been proven that smoking causes detrimental effects on the health of those who smoke and as the result Philip Morris USA has been ordered by the courts to warn potential consumers of the dangers of their products. Philip Morris has decreased the number of pro-smoking advertisements and increased the numbers of anti-smoking advertisements. Critical Response: I didn’t know that Philip Morris USA was behind the â€Å"Truth† advertising campaign. Even though Philip Morris USA is in the business on getting people â€Å"hooked† on smoking, it is also doing a descent effort in preventing people from smoking. Perhaps this is because of court order, but still Philip Morris USA is actively warning people of the dangers of their products. If the manufacturer tells you their products are bad, and yet you still use those particular products, then you are to blame for the consequences of using that product. Con: Citation: Austin, Erica, Hust, Stacey. â€Å"The Content and Frequency of Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Beverage Ads in Video and Magazines Popular Among Adolescents. † Conference Papers—International Communication Association. San Diego, 2003. 1-22. Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to compare the content of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage advertising content to which adolescents are exposed in the United States. Methods: A census of beverage advertising in popular magazines and on network television (n=757 ads) during the months of November, 1999-April, 2000 was analyzed for content and frequency. Results: By far, the most alcoholic beverage ads appeared in Sports Illustrated (110) followed by Rolling Stone (98) and Playboy (75). Alcohol advertising outnumbers non-alcohol advertising by a ratio of 3 to 1. All types of beverage ads emphasized relaxation and portrayals of young adults. Alcohol was almost never associated with dining. Ads rarely portrayed risky situations but frequently were placed in magazines featuring sports and sexually oriented content. Alcohol ads demonstrated an emphasis on sexual and social stereotyping of women, and a lack of ethnic and age-related diversity. Themes and settings of alcohol ads were similar to those present in non-alcohol ads. One of every six magazine alcohol ads, and one of every 14 video-based ads, appeared to target underage drinkers. Conclusions: Alcohol is advertised heavily in media outlets favored by youth. Alcohol advertisements also include many stereotypes and many elements known to appeal to youth, particularly youth already at risk to drink alcohol. That themes in alcohol ads parallel those in non-alcohol ads may further increase youths receptivity. Summation: The authors studied both magazine and video advertising and found that the number of alcohol ads outnumber non-alcohol ads 3 to 1. These ads promote and enforce positive beliefs about drinking while not promoting the negative effects. They have also found that the primary age group portrayed in these ads is that of the youth, not middle-aged adults. They have also concluded that the content of these ads are not associated with dining but rather with sex, relaxation, romance, and adventure, which are all things that appeal to younger audiences. Critical Response: Alcohol advertisers are definitely using unethical techniques to target the youth. They know what types of programs that young people watch and it’s not hard to see an alcohol add on the television during youth programming. Alcohol advertisers are not the only ones doing this either. Cigarette producers have been targeting the youth for years.